Former Penticton Vees defenceman signed by Canucks

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks have added a former Penticton Vees defenceman to their roster.

The Vancouver Canucks signed undrafted free agent Troy Stecher to a two-year contract yesterday, April 14.

The 22-year-old Richmond native recently completed his junior season with the University of North Dakota, leading the Fighting Hawks to an eighth National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship and was also named to the all-tournament team.

The five-foot-11, 191-pound defender told The Canadian Press last week the Canucks were one of the NHL teams on his list of potential suitors if he decided to forgo his senior season and turn pro.

"My dad used to have season tickets to the Canucks with his old company," Stecher said in a phone interview. "When I was a little kid I dreamed about playing for the Canucks."

A late-round pick of the WHL's Portland Winterhawks in 2009, Stecher chose instead to play in the second-tier BCHL with the Penticton Vees to get stronger and work on his game before going the U.S. college route.

He was passed over in three straight NHL drafts from 2012 to 2014, but started to turn heads the last two seasons.

The Canucks, who finished 28th overall in 2015-16, are relatively thin in terms of defence prospects, meaning that Stecher could be given a shot to show what he can do sooner rather than later.

"You're not drafted, so you're pretty disappointed," Stecher said before signing with Vancouver. "Now you're finally starting to get a lot of interest from different teams, so you feel excited."

— With files from The Canadian Press

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.